Tuesday, March 18, 1986
Sports
University Daily Kansan
9.
Kansas is team to beat, coaches say
Danny Manning and the Kansas Jayhawks will play the Michigan State Spartans on Friday in the Midwest Regional in Kemper Arena, Kansas City, Mo. The coaches from the three other teams, Michigan State, Iowa State and North Carolina, all say Kansas is the favorite to win the regional.
By Matt Tidwell
Sports writer
The coaches of the four teams that will battle in this weekend's Midwest Regional semifinal talked with the media for the first time yesterday morning and came to a general consensus — Kansas is the team to beat.
"If you can find a weakness in Kansas, please let me know," said Michigan State head coach Jud Heathcote, who will play the Jahyhaws first, Friday at 10:10 p.m.
Heathecote continued by voicing the frustrations of most of the opposing coaches who have had the task of trying to find a place to attack the 33-3 Big Eight Champions.
"We're still looking for a weakness," Heathcote said. "When we go into a game, we try and figure out what the other team doesn't do well and then adjust to that. But Kansas has a great running game and great size. They are multi-talented."
The other two coaches, Iowa State's Johnny Orr and North Carolina State's Jim Valvano, aren't objects of having to face Kansas either.
"All great teams have a solid inside and outside games," Valvano said. "Kansas has both. They are a great team. We played them earlier in the year and we hung with them for a half. I think we're a much better team now, but so are they."
On Dec. 7, the Jayhawks beat
N.C. at Greenwinds in Greensboro, N.C.
71-8-6
Big Eight fans are hoping for a Kansas-lowa State meeting in the regional finals Sunday at 3:03 p.m. The game would mark the fourth time the two teams have met this season. Two of those games were
The last time the Jayhawks and Cyclones met was just nine days ago in the finals of the postseason Big Eight Tournament. Kansas escaped with a 73-71 win when Cyclones center Sam Hill was whistled for a
controversial traveling call in the last play of the game...
The Cyclones also have the distinction of being the last team to beat the Bali Giants.
Men's Basketball
Since that loss, Kansas has won 14 consecutive games, but Iowa State has played well too. The Cyclones advanced to Kansas City by scoring a significant upset win over Michigan on Sunday.
"From beginning to end, the Michigan game was our most consistent performance of the season," Orr said, "but I agree that now Kansas is the favorite. I want to congratulate Larry (Kansas head coach Brown) and his team."
"I'm not sure it's good to try and pick a favorite in this tournament, though, because we've seen the upsets and the play is so emotional."
Valvano said he was concerned with what he called the advantage Iowa State and especially Kansas had by playing in Kansas City, Mo. Valvano said the Jayhawks were so well regarded that he liked a home court for Kansas. The Jayhawks have a 26-8 record in Kemper Arena.
"I don't want to sound like I'm crying the blues before we get to Kansas City, but I don't think Georgia Tech should be allowed to play in Atlanta. And I don't think Kansas and Iowa State should get to play in Kansas City. I just wish we could have a totally neutral court."
"We're not exactly playing in friendly territory," Valvano said. "I really wish there wasn't such a home court advantage.
Orr said he wasn't complaining about the site of this weekend's tournament.
"I certainly feel it's an advantage," he said. "We've played very well the two times we've been in Kemper this season."
Former player named new coach at K-State
The Associated Press
MANHATTAN — Lon Kruger is coming home to Kansas State.
Will championship basketball come back with him?
The Wildcats certainly hope so. In searching for a man to replace coach Jack Hartman, K-State decided on a Hartman protege, a classic over-achiever and two-time player of the year during a time when K-State basketball ranked among the Big Eight's elite.
"I'm very excited about returning to Kansas State University. It brings back many, many memories," Kruger, 33, said yesterday when he was introduced to K-State's new head coach.
As Hartman's play-making guard, Kruger led the Wildcats to Big Eight titles his sophomore and junior seasons in 1971-72 and '72-73. He was the Big Eight player of the year as a junior and senior and was a graduate coach coaching business at the side of the man he is replacing.
"I felt all along this young man could come to K-State and give us what we need," Athletic Director Larry Travis said. "We have great confidence in Lon Kruger."
After a five-year stint as Hartman's Man. 1 assistant, Kruger became head coach at the sagging program at Pan American University in Edinburgh, Texas. His first Pan American team won seven games, five more than it had won the year before. But his teams the next two years won a total of 25 games, then the Broncs this past season had their best record in almost a decade at 20-8.
"He's taken a program and built that program," Travis said. "That
is somebody who we want. He built them up when they were done."
Kruger finds the K-State program in almost as much trouble as Pan American was in 1980. Once a model program, the Wildcats won only four Big Eight games this season and may eventually forfeit those because Norris Coleman, a high-scoring 24-year-old freshman, has been declared ineligible. Kruger said his first task will be to reenrich the talent.
"Recruiting kids on a national level is what we'd like to do," he said. "We want to recruit kids to shoot the basketball. Also, kids who can play a variety of defensive and offensive schemes."
Kruger, a native of Silver Lake, noted that he has only three weeks before national signing day to put together a staff and hit the recruiting trail.
Hartman, 60, announced in January he would retire at the end of his 16th season at Kansas State
"We don't have time to wait," he said. "We're considerably behind. We have a good list of prospects. The athletes are there. There are enough. We just have to go out and find them."
"Jack Hartman felt he had accomplished what he wanted and that it was time to retire," said Kruger.
Kempf named top Big 8 coach
Bv Dawn O'Malley
Preparation and organization, Kruger said, are the most important lessons he learned from the man whose shoes he has been asked to fill.
Sports writer
"He doesn't make any hasty decisions," he said.
Kruger also referred to Hartman's ability "to maximize the strengths of his personel."
After being named the NCAA swimming coach of the year in 1983 and twice being recognized as the Big Eight women's swim coach of the
Gary Kempf
Swimming
year, Kansas head swim coach, Gary Kempf received another honor Saturday.
At the end of the Big Eight Championship swim meet, Kempf was named the Big Eight men's swim coach of the year.
Kempf's coaching peers gave him the honor as the coach of the year
"It should be a staff of the year award." Kempf said. "Everyone made sure they were staying on their goals."
Kempf said the men's team general performance had made him look good in front of the other coaches. This year at the championship meet, the men's team captured second place, improving on last year's fourth place finish.
"Our team out performed the other teams," Karl Stumpt, tri-captain and Phoenix sophomore, said. "We are the main reason why he won. Every swimmer improved."
need to have someone to tell you what to do."
"A coach can't make you swim," Stumpf said. "You've got to want it inside you. We did the swimming, Gary does give the direction. You
Stumpf said one of Kempf's best attributes as a coach was his ability to motivate the team to perform well.
Stumpf said Kempf always was out at the pool yelling in support of the team.
"I would characterize him as a hard-driving individual." Stumpf said. "He has goals and works to keep them. He keeps the goals in perspective. Swimming well is the most important."
Kempf said the men's team made improvements every day. He said his award recognized those improvements.
Youker said that Kempf had an open door policy and that the swimmers were free to go talk with the coach.
"Gary is intense; he wants a good program," David Youker, a freshman swimmer from Fort Wayne, said. "But away from the pool he wants to be a friend. At the pool he's a best friend."
"We were pleased because it sort of recognized us too." Youkier said.
Jayhawks win two tournaments
16 victories help as KU moves up to No.4 ranking
By Jim Suhr
Sports writer
The fourth-ranked KU women's softball team defeated New Mexico 8-2 on Sunday to win championship of the Sooner Invitational at Norman, Okla., giving the Jayhawks their second tournament title and 16th win in 48 games during an 11-day spring break tour.
Kansas, 16,2 moved from No. 7 in the national rankings to No. 4 after its victories in the Road Runner Tournament, on March 6-8 in Las Crusades, N.M., and the Sooner Invitational.
They played six top-20 teams in the two tournaments, including Big Eight rivals Nebraska, Oklahoma and Missouri.
“It’s a fair ranking based on what we've done,” KU head softball coach Bob Stancliff said yesterday. “This is by far the best start we've ever had, and we have a lot of momentum going now.”
Stancift said his team had dealt with the high ranking effectively. But he added the ranking this early in the season meant more to Kansas' competition than it did to his队.
Softball
ace, agreed with Stanclift. She said opposing teams would get additional incentive by playing the 4. team in the country.
"We just have to be mentally prepared for each game and minimize letdowns." Bunge said. "We have so far, and we've attacked the ball and played the way we're capable of playing."
Stanclift said the offense had improved this season because of a change in his coaching philosophy. His change was to make the Jayhawks practice their hitting in game-like situations.
"We have the best offensive team I've ever coached," said Stancifl, who is in his 11th season as softball coach at Kansas. "People in the tournaments talked about the way we swung our bats."
Bunge and Sherri Mach each returned from the road trip with 8-1 records. They had 10 shutouts between them.
Tracy Bunge. Kansas' pitching
For those who faced Kansas in either tournament, Bunge's comments might appear as somewhat of an understatement.
Stanclift, however, attributed most of the team's success to its offensive performance.
Stanclift said that in the past years, opposing defenses would pitch
Sheila Connolly, the leadoff hitter, and Bunge each had 21 hits. They lead the Jayhawk offensive attack during the road trip. Connolly's hits included five doubles and a home run. Bunge had two doubles, three triples, four home runs and collected 14 runs batted in.
Other offensive contributions came from Chris May, (18 hits, 15 RBI), Judith Phillips (18 hits, 11 RBI), Laura Cramer (17 hits) and Kelly Downs (16 hits).
The scores of the Jayhawks' 18 games during spring break were: Western Michigan 3, Kansas 1; Kansas 16, Metro State 2; Kansas 8, Northeast Louisiana 0; Kansas 4, New Mexico 0; Kansas 1, Arizona State 0; Kansas 6, Nebraska 1; Kansas 8, Oklahoma 0; Kansas 4, Arizona State 2; Kansas 5-1 and 4-0 over Central Michigan; Kansas 9, New Mexico State 0; Kansas 3, Indiana 2; Wichita State 3, Kansas 2; Kansas 4, Missouri 0; Kansas 2, Texas-Arlington 0; Kansas 1, Oklahoma 0; Kansas 8, Central Michigan 0; and Kansas 8, New Mexico 2.
around the key batters in Kansas' batting order. This year, Stanciff said, the Jayhawks' total balance of extensively made that impossible.
The Jayhawks travel to Wichita to play Wichita State in a doubleheader Thursday. Their next home game is March 25 against Creighton.
Free safety David Fiechl stretched out yesterday before spring football practice at Memorial Stadium. The Jayhawks resumed practice after taking time off during spring break.
Braves shut out Royals
The Associated Press
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Rick Mahler became the first Atlanta pitcher to go five innings this spring, combining with Jeff Dedmon and Paul Assenmacher to shut out the Kansas City Royals 10 in exhibition baseball yesterday.
Mahler, 2-0 this spring, allowed
just two hits in his five innings.
just two hits in his five innings.
The Braves scored the game's only run in the third inning as Bruce Benedict scored from second on a fielding error by second baseman Frank White, who let an Omar Moreno grounder skip between his legs.
Tennis team wins 2 of 4 on California trip
Mark Gubicza, who allowed five hits in four innings, took the loss
By James Larson
Sports writer
The Kansas men's tennis team battled the weather as well as some of the best college tennis teams in the land during spring break.
Rain washed out four of the Jayhawk's eight scheduled matches and forced them to wait in their hotel rooms in anticipation of the matches that were scheduled to be played.
Men's Tennis
The Jayhawks won two of the four matches they were able to play.
"It was fairly disappointing," head tennis coach Scott Perelanu said about the cancellations. "Most of the time was spent in the hotel, but I thought we played well when we did play."
Everyone on the Kansas team turned in winning performances in the first match March 9, as the Jayhawks beat the Richmond (Va.) Spiders 9-0.
"The swelling has gone down,"
Two days later, the fifth-ranked UCLA Bruins defeated the Jayhawks 8-1. The loss was costly for Kansas because No. 2 ranked player Michael Center sprained his ankle.
Center said yesterday. "I walked on it for the first time today and I hope to play on it next week."
Kansas suffered another 8-1 loss the next day when they played Peperdine, the No. 1 team in the country. Mike Wolf kept the Jayhawks from being shut out by beating Peperdine's Robbie Weis out by 6-4, 6-7, 1-0.
Kansas defeated Yale 7-2 in its last match.